The Love Game
by daisyrey13
Summary: Kaida is upset about Zuko's rejection. But can Jet be the solution to her problem? Jet/OC/Zuko
1. The Idea

**Jet/Kaida:**

_**(Kaida)**_

I was sitting by myself on top of a cliff overlooking my camp that sat within a small valley. It was peaceful up here. A gentle breeze caressed my bare arms. The night sky looked kind of like navy blue velvet, and the stars like diamonds that were flung onto it. Now I'm not one for being one with nature and stuff, but—I had to admit—this scene had an enchanting tranquility to it.

"He doesn't know what he's missing," a voice said from behind me. I spun around to see who it was. Jet's hazel eyes glimmered in the moonlight as he stared down at me. **{I have no clue what color his eyes are so they shall be hazel, just to be different ;) }**

"What?" I asked, unclear of what he meant. Taking a small step forward, Jet knelt beside me. He jerked his chin in the direction of our little camp.

"That…Zuko. He spends most of his time looking for a pretty girl, and he doesn't realize he has one right here," he explained, tapping my nose. My cheeks instantly grew hot and I tried desperately to hide the blushing by focusing my attention on the hem of my tunic.

"Zuko wouldn't…I…he doesn't think of me that way," I mumbled, tugging at a loose thread. Jet sighed and sat Indian-style.

"See, that's your problem," Jet started. I glared at him, but he held up a finger, indicating that he wasn't finished. "You're always wondering what people _think_ of you instead of what they _feel_ about you." I raised an eyebrow in confusion. How could I possibly know what a person was feeling about me without them telling me? I was grateful to Jet for trying to make me feel better, but I had to question his logic.

"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind. Wouldn't want anyone being offended by my social disabilities!" I said rather harshly. Jet looked taken aback and held his hands up, palms facing outward.

"I wasn't trying to…look; a guy like Zuko isn't one to openly admit his feelings. He needs a little…assistance," Jet informed me.

"Such as?" A thoughtful look found its way onto Jet's face. He suddenly stood up, pulling me along with him.

"Okay, try to drop subtle hints… or not. Zuko does seem to be dumb when it comes to girls. He's like a dog chasing his tail." Jet and I couldn't help but laugh at the thought of Zuko running around, frantically snapping at his tail. Then Jet yawned. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm beat. Time to hit the hay."

A thought unexpectedly entered my head and I grabbed Jet's hand. He looked back at me. He was so going to hate me for this. "I have an idea. About getting Zuko to 'fess up. But you're probably not going to like it."

* * *

><p>I quickly explained my theory to Jet, whose features held various expressions on the subject. It wasn't like I was asking him to invade the fire nation or anything. Well, not technically.<p>

"You want me…to pretend to be your…boyfriend?"

"Yeah, but just until Zuko admits he likes me, then we can go about our own lives. Please, Jet, don't make me beg. You know I hate begging," I pouted theatrically while Jet stared at me incredulously.

"When I said subtle hints I didn't mean so subtle it doesn't exist! And what happens when he gets pissed and comes after me?"

"He won't."

"And how do you know?"

"Because, if he actually cares about me then he won't want to hurt you, because of our 'relationship'." I exaggerated the air quotes, just to make sure he was following.

"…Alright, fine. But if I get scorched, I'll make especially sure that you have to…" Jet looked into my eyes. "Lick. Appa's. Butt." I snorted. That boy was so immature.

"Deal," I replied.

"Deal," Jet agreed and we shook hands, finalizing the sort of alliance.

* * *

><p>The walk back to camp was mostly full of talk about how we were going to pull this off. So far we came up with; 1.) we had to be around each other more, 2.) there had to be some form of public display of affection, and 3.) this secret was to be exactly that…a secret. It would just be even more awkward if someone knew and had to lie for us. And we both knew that our companions lacked acting qualities.<p>

When we finally got back to camp, everyone was sitting around the campfire, listening to Sokka tell a tale of how he was attacked by sea-monkeys. As soon as Jet and I set foot into the area where the others were, the talking ceased and their eyes snapped up in our direction. I saw Zuko glaring at Jet. I felt panicky when I realized how close Jet and I were standing. So close, in fact, that we could've been holding hands.

"Oh, hey guys! Where've you been? Sokka was just telling us this great story! You should come and listen!" I released a breath I didn't know I was holding and inhaled deeply. Thank the Spirits for Aang's talkativeness. That had been too awkward for my taste.

"Actually, I think I'm gonna get some shut eye," Jet said, yawning. Aang looked disappointed but nodded. I was about to walk to the others, when Jet caught my hand. He glanced quickly from me to our comrades. I opened my mouth to ask him what he was doing, but was cut short when he smashed his lips against mine. I stiffened.

Jet's hands went to my hair, tangling themselves in it. I just stood there, dumbfounded as Jet kissed me. I was kissing Jet. How odd.

Finally, Jet broke off the kiss and smiled. He turned abruptly, waved to the rest of the group—who looked just as shocked as I felt—and headed for his tent.

Someone's coughing fit threw me out of my daze. I looked over to see that it was Sokka. He had bugged eyes and a slack jaw. I gathered up my wits, put on the best smile I could manage, and sauntered towards the campfire, my lips still tingling and my brain still whirling from Jet's kiss.

**A/N:**** So? How'd I do? This is my first fanfic so if Jet seems out of character, my bad. I'm currently re-watching the series, so I'LL GET BETTAR! :D ...Hopefully... **


	2. Familiar

**(Kaida)**

I woke up to the sound of laughter. Poking my head out of the tent, I saw that the noise came from Aang and Katara. They were in the lake a few yards away from my tent practicing waterbending. Katara was showing Aang a move, which he tried to do, but failed. The water splashed Momo, who shrieked and scurried away, causing another fit of laughter from the duo.

I stepped back into my tent, threw on some fairly clean clothes, and meandered over to where the two were practicing. "Oh, hey, Kaida. I was just teaching Aang this one move called the Serpent. You should try it!" Katara said, waving me over.

"Alright, I'll take a crack at it," I replied, kicking off my shoes and stepping into the water. It wasn't as cold as I was expecting it to be, which was a good change considering all the times I had to train in below-freezing water.

Katara demonstrated the correct form and then allowed me to try. The first time, I tried to move the water like Katara showed, but ended up getting her wet. On the second trial, I had a bit more control and was able to bend the water into a snake shape and wave it around. "Like this?" I asked, struggling to keep it up.

"Try to keep your arms in a little more. That way you can have greater control of the water." I did as instructed until I finally made a gigantic serpent form. I looped it around my body and sent it to Katara who did the same and passed it to Aang. We continued our little game, making it harder for one another, until we heard clapping.

I dropped the water and spun around. Jet stood with his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. "You know, I think you pretty much got that one down," he told me. I blushed, suddenly remembering that little incident last night. Jet must have noticed because his smirk grew wider.

Jet grabbed my hand and jerked me to him. He tucked me under his arm. I ever so reluctantly slid my arm around his waist, and we walked towards the center of the camp. Jet glanced back quickly. _What id he looking at?_ I wondered.

We entered the kitchen, of sorts, and I felt all eyes staring at us. It made me feel self-conscious. I never had an intimate relationship with anyone but Zuko so this was so foreign to me. However, Jet seemed to know what he was doing, so that was good enough for me.

After getting served by Sokka (oh joy) Jet and I sat on the grass outside. I wasn't very hungry—mostly because it was _Sokka_ who made the food—and took to watching Jet poke at the 'soup'. It was a suspicious red-ish pink color and had chunks of who-knows-what floating around in it. "It kinda looks like Momo's sh-" A scream stopped Jet short.

I quickly rose to my feet and ran towards the sound, followed by an also curious Jet. When we arrived at the scene, I saw that Aang, Katara, Sokka, and Zuko had already beaten us there. "What's going on?" I questioned, trying to get a better look through the crowd.

I finally managed to see a girl about my age. At the moment I couldn't find anything that was wrong with her, but she wouldn't stop shrieking. "Hey! What happened to your leg?" Katara looked sincere. I hopped up and down, wanting to see what all the fuss was about.

"I was running through the forest and I fell and twisted my leg. It really hurts!" the girl cried.

"Zuko, help me get her to my tent. Sokka and Aang get some food and water," Katara ordered, trying to keep the girl calm. With a grunt of frustration, Zuko hoisted the girl up and followed Katara. Sokka and Aang ran in the opposite direction. That left me and Jet standing there idly.

"Hmm…she seems lovely," I murmured. Jet chuckled and headed off to the training room. Not wanting to be alone, I wandered into Katara's tent.

"You're lucky. A few more hours and you're leg probably would have been seriously damaged," I heard Katara say when I entered the small tent. "Oh, Kaida, can you keep an eye on her while I go find out what's taking Sokka and Aang so long?" I opened my mouth to say I had something better to do, but decided against it and nodded. Katara smiled and left.

I took this as a chance to get a better look at this stranger. Her hair was like dark ringlets, and her eyes resembled two chocolate-smothered cherries for they were brown with a disc of maroon circling them. I noticed some freckles sprinkled her tan skin. And she had an angry, pink scar trailing her forearm. The pattern of it reminded me of something…

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Katara re-entered the tent muttering a curse. I turned back to the girl, who was now staring at me. I return her stare and she quickly looked away. As her head turned, I caught a glimpse of a tattoo on her neck. I think I've seen that before. "Do I know you from somewhere? Ba Sing Se, maybe? Or Omashu?" I wondered aloud.

The girl gazed at me again this time there was something in her eyes. Something I couldn't put a name to. "No, I don't think so. I've been locked inside my house for most of my life. My parents were overprotective, you see. So, that's why I ran away. I wanted to live my own life and not have to be locked up and never experience what it's like to go out, or have friends. Or kiss a boy," her eyes flickered to mine and she grinned. Like she knew something. I felt my face grow hot and I instantly looked down. "I saw the two of you walking when I was running by. The way he looks at you…I wish someone could look at me like that."

"Wha-? Ha-ha. Oh…um…y-you see…we a-aren't…" I sputtered, suddenly feeling embarrassed. I fidgeted under the girl's stare.

"Don't worry about it. He's cute. There's nothing to be ashamed of," she assured me. I had forgotten Zuko and Katara were there until Katara cleared her throat. My eyes flew to Zuko, hoping he hadn't been paying attention to my moment of discomfort. He was busy picking the dirt of the bottom of his shoe with his dagger. Thankful, I released the breath I'd been holding.

"I should finish healing your leg…um…what's your name again?"

"Kaila. You know, K. A. I. L. A."

Hey, that's close to my name. Kaila looked up at me and smiled. Her teeth were pointed, but straight and white. I returned her smile and turn to leave. Before I did so, I peeked at her neck tattoo again.

Where had I seen that?

I pondered it a little more before exiting and slinking into my own tent. I pondered it a little more. Then, Jet poked his head in."Hey, can I come in." I nodded and tried to figure out that symbol. Jet noticed my puzzled look and asked what was wrong.

"That girl, Kaila. She had this tattoo and some burns and I swear I've seen them both before, but I can't for the life of me figure out where," I responded. I was so deep in thought I hadn't realized Jet had moved closer to me.

"You think too much," he said, that signature smirk making its way onto his face again. I glared at him. "You should train with me. We _are _going to be traveling again, and you need to brush up on your combat skills because frankly-" He leaned closer and whispered in my ear causing a shiver to go up my spine. "You're getting a bit rusty."

Jet laughed and I shoved him away. Not wanting him to think I was a chicken, I followed him to the training grounds, almost forgetting about the girl with the strangely familiar markings.

_Almost. _

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN:_****_ In my opinion, this chapter seems a bit forced, but I tried. D': OH! And I am working on Kaida's whole story.. However, I'm having a bit of a dilemma. I can't seem to decide if I should start from Book 2 and just fill in the gaps of her past...or start from the actual begining? Anyways, read and review. _**

**_Lovez ya,_**

**_*Daisy*_**


	3. Settling Scores

**(Kaida)**

~A Week Later~

It's been a week. A whole week since Jet and I started 'dating' and Zuko didn't even cringe when we held hands or even KISSED! I was beginning to worry.

And as if the Spirits had a sense of humor, Kaila is a fire-bender. "Not a master, though," she says. Ha! I bet she knew that Zuko would volunteer to help her with some fire bending moves. And the way she smirked when he got into his training clothes—which was nothing but pants—made my blood boil. I know, I know. It was childish to feel so jealous, and it was even more childish to sit there and watch them like a parent would do if their child was on a date with someone they didn't trust.

A shadow hovered over me, snapping me from my mental rantings. I cupped a hand over my eyes and squinted up through the sunlight. Jet's dark brown hair blew in the wind, and so did the skinny twig he always held between his teeth. "Are we gonna train or what?" He peered down at me and crossed his arms over his bare chest.

Jet. Shirtless. Two words I couldn't wrap my mind around.

He held out a hand, which I took after one last glance at the Prince and the newbie. Jet pulled me up and with a grin drew his dual sword-thingies. I frowned. "That's not fair! You get swords and I don't!" I pouted, folding my arms and sticking out my bottom lip. Jet laughed heartily, dropping his swords.

"Fine. We'll start with hand-to-hand," Jet said, getting into fighting stance. I mimic his actions and prepare myself for sparring. I had just gotten ready when Jet did a low-sweeping kick that knocked me off my feet. I landed hard on my butt and glared up at him. "Gotta be quicker next time." I stand up, dust my pants off, and get ready once again.

This time I throw a punch at Jet, who dodges it easily. "Oh, come on. You can do better than that!" _Okay, that's it! _I continue throwing punches and kicks at Jet and he returns them with some of his own.

A couple minutes later, we were both tired and sweaty. "Okay, it's a tie," Jet huffed. I smirked. There is no way he's getting off the hook for making me fall on my butt. With a flick of my wrist, a small gust of air sailed towards Jet and it threw him off balance. Everything after that played out in slow-motion.

Jet, who was falling at a sluggish pace, reached out and grabbed my hand, thus causing me to fall with him. We tumbled onto the grass; Jet landing first, and me landing on top of him. His eyes glistened as he noticed the awkwardness of our position. "That was cheating," he said, trying to find the humor in it and succeeding. I laughed, rolled off of him, and helped him up.

"It was not," I argued. Jet narrowed his eyes. I suddenly felt self-conscious. _Is there something on my face?_ I swatted around my head, checking to see if there was. There wasn't, so what was Jet doing?

I turned to see what he was scowling at. It was Zuko. His fists were clenched at his sides and it looked as if he was hyperventilating, but that could have just been from the fire bending. "It looks like our little plan is working," I muttered, nudging Jet. His glare turned into a mischievous smirk.

"Let's give him something to stare at." Before I could protest, Jet spun me towards him and smashed his lips to mine. His arms wrapped around my waist, and my hands found their way to his hair and grabbed fistfuls it. A wave of guilt washed over me when I thought of Zuko standing there, watching us eat each other's face off, and being able to do nothing about it. _Wait, what am_ I saying? _He's had many chances to be with me and he never leapt at any of them._ After realizing that, I deepened the kiss by pulling Jet closer. His nails were digging into my skin through my shirt, but I ignored the pain.

When Jet and I finally broke the kiss, we were both breathing heavily. I twisted around to see if Zuko was still watching. He was and he wasn't alone. Half the camp had come to view out little performance. Sokka, Katara, Aang, Suki, and even Toph, although she couldn't see, the girl somehow managed to know everything that was going on.

"Hmph, I wonder if they enjoyed the show." I whispered. Jet chuckled as he took hold of my hand. That little annoying guilt fly was buzzing around my head again. "You don't have to do this, you know. I think he's jealous enough to see what he's missing." Jet paused and turned to me, grabbing my shoulders gently.

"I want to. And besides, it's fun pissing Mr. Grumpy-pants over there off," he said to me, grinning. I couldn't help but laugh. His hand returned to its previous position in mine, and we walked back to the others. We stopped when we were a couple feet away from them.

"You're a couple? Since when were you a couple?" I smiled. Sokka had become more of an older brother to me. He just had that overprotective nature about him. I liked it since I didn't have a real brother to look out for me.

"Oh, you know…a while…" I started, sneaking a glance at Zuko. He was seething with rage; it almost made me want to giggle. "It's been a couple of weeks."

"I knew you two were a couple!" Kaila and Suki squealed, crushing me in a bear hug. I try to shove them away gently without hurting their feelings and gasp for air.

"Now, I don't feel bad about asking Zuzi-kins to the festival in the city tonight!" All is quiet after Kaila uttered those hideous words. It was like everyone had been anticipating my reaction. I felt my left eye twitch several times before somewhat relaxing.

"_What festival_?" I question behind clenched teeth. Kaila mistook my subtle anger for enthusiasm.

"Oh! You have to come! There'll be lanterns and music and games! Please say you and Jet will come, please! In fact, we can all go! Like a group bonding activity…it'll be fun!" I had to fight the urge to slap the stupid grin right of that girl's face. I ground my teeth, closed my eyes, and slowly counted backwards from ten.

"I don't see why not. Aang and Kaida are making good progress in their bending…so sure, we'll go!" Katara said sounding almost excited as Kaila. Sometimes Katara's tendency to speak for others kinda itched on my last nerve. It was like she was the group mother; everything had to have her permission and what she says, goes.

"Actually, I have to practice my other bending," I say quickly. Everyone looks disappointedly at me. "Hey, I need to get it down if I'm going to be any help with defeating the Fire Lord. I might catch up with you all later, okay?"

"If that's what you want," Kaila permits. _No, it's not what I want. I want you to leave and never come back. _Instead of saying my inner thoughts, I nod and smile. The rest of the gang chats excitedly about what games to play and what sights to see. I turn away from them all and sigh. Before I could escape, a hand falls on my shoulder. I was expecting it to be Jet, suggesting another hot make out session, but I was surprised when Zuko's golden irises gazed down at me.

"You should come with us," he said. I merely shook my head, causing him to frown. "Why not?"

"Why should I?"

"Because I-it's not called a group outing for nothing." I inhale deeply, catching the scent of smoke and mint. While exhaling, I noticed that Zuko hadn't removed his hand from my shoulder. As a matter of fact, it had made its way up to my collarbone. His thumb gently traces patterns around my neck. The warmth of his touch sent a shiver up my spine.

"W-why do you care if I go? Shouldn't you be spending time with your new girlfriend?" Zuko opened his mouth to respond, but was interrupted when— speak of the devil—Kaila approached us. She touched Zuko's arm—which he quickly disengaged from me—and beamed up at him. It made me sick the way she looped her arm around his and led him away from me. Zuko glanced back over his shoulder, but didn't make a move to resist Kaila. I immediately looked down, suddenly finding the olive-colored grass intriguing.

I instantly missed the warmth of Zuko's hand and the way he smelled. It was like when Kaila pulled him away, she ripped off a piece of my heart along with him.

If this is what Zuko felt like watching me make out with Jet, then I completely regret ever thinking up this love game. My eyes flicker towards the back of Kaila's head. Her blonde curls bouncing giddily as she laughed hard at something Sokka said that I'm pretty sure wasn't that funny, and my competitive side totally took over. _If that's how you want to play, so be it. But just remember honey, I so know him better than you do. And he knows me. _

With one final glare, I spun around angrily and stomped off into the woods. The nearest city wasn't far from here. I needed to do some shopping. "Hey!" A voice called from behind me. I paused—not turning around—to show that I acknowledge the person. It only took me a second to recognize who it was. I didn't expect any less, she had a way of knowing when I was about to do something stupid. "You aren't going to go shopping without me, are you?" Suki asked, feigning a shocked expression. I smiled and shook my head. Suki grinned and fell into step with me. "Good, because you need my girly fashion sense."

Suki and I both laughed. I had no idea how she always seemed to know what I was thinking, but it didn't matter. I had one of my best friends by my side and because it was Suki, Kaila was going to go down extra hard. I was a little insecure of the way something so trivial was getting me this worked up, but I couldn't care less at the moment.

I had a score to settle.


	4. Beauty and the Dragon

**(Kaida)**

Suki and I—after getting lost countless times—found the small town that would be hosting this festival. Even though we already knew about it, if you had come from the furthest corner of the Earth, you would still be able to tell there was some sort of celebration going on.

People bustled busily through the brightly decorated streets. A diversity of yellows, reds, purples, pinks, oranges, greens, and blues littered the buildings and roads. It looked as if a rainbow puked all over the city. There where girls in long, frilly dresses and kimonos and guys in colorful tunics. I instantly thought of skittles—one of the things I missed from being in my world—and chuckled loudly.

While I was reminiscing about my old life, Suki was excitedly rushing from shop to shop. She would drag me to one of the store windows, glance inside then scrunch up her face in disapproval, and yank me along to the next one. Suki was like a little kid, getting ecstatic about the smallest things.

Finally—after a total of fifteen _dreadful_ minutes window shopping—Suki led me into a decent-looking shop. Racks of kimonos lined the walls, and a few placed in the center of the store. I was set free to browse while my companion did…whatever it was that she did.

Never in my life had I been _dress_ shopping. I was more of the tank top and sweats kind of girl. And—having to help support my siblings—niceties such as that weren't exactly my first priorities. I halfheartedly searched through the vibrant clothing. Only wanted to be done with this thing, I grabbed a random article and proceeded to the clerk.

"Kaida!" I heard Suki gasp. She stomped around in front of me, and put her palm up for me to stop. With a quick glance at the dress I was holding, she raised an eyebrow and snatched it from my grasp. "Really? This does you no justice. Orange definitely isn't your color!" Suki informed me as she hung the dress back in its place on the rack.

Suki took my wrist and guided me to a section in the back. There she hunted for the perfect thing for me to win Zuko back with. Since I wasn't allowed to help, I decided to just look around at the jewelry.

~Several Minutes Later~

"Here!" Suki exclaimed, shoving something at me. I didn't have time to look at it before I was pushed into a stall by her enthusiastic hands. It was dark in there so I still was able to even see the color of what I was supposed to be putting on. After I got the—what I think was a kimono instead of a plain dress, due to the giant bow on the back—I sheepishly tugged the velvet curtain open and slinked out.

"Aww!" The humongous grin on Suki's face told me that I looked somewhat good. She spun me around to face the tall mirror that hung on the shop's wall.

The midnight blue kimono fit me like a glove. The darkness of it contrasted well with my barely tan skin and the soft green hem brought out my emerald-colored eyes. "We'll take this one!" Suki squealed, handing the store-clerk the appropriate amount of money.

Suki and I went to multiple stores. Make-up stores, shoe stores, and even a hat store—which I quickly walked away from. The sky was now a pale pink color, which meant that the festival would start soon. Suki insisted that we head to the jewelry store before the partying began. "Suki, we've been to almost a hundred different stores already. Anymore shopping and me feet with just go limp and break off!" I sighed, annoyed. However, my best friend refused to take no for an answer. She gave me a pleading look and didn't even wait for me to answer before latching on to my elbow and directing me to the store.

Inside, there wasn't much that didn't sparkle or shine. I stood idly in between the isles while the over-excited Suki examined each shelf. One. By. One. I huffed in frustration, earning a questioning look from Suki and the store's owner. Sighing deeply, I took to distracting myself from my boredom by browsing the necklaces.

One of them in particular caught my attention. A small ruby encrusted dragon, with its wings spread open, hung on a silver chain. It's jade eyes seemed to stare and follow me as I moved closer to it. I was so mesmerized by its beauty that I didn't noticed the clerk had come to stand behind me. "Breathtaking, isn't it?" she asked in a dreamy voice. "A young man came in here the other day and stared at it for the longest time. Said it reminded him of a girl he knew, so sweet. The smile he had on his face when I told him the price of it was absolutely gorgeous!"

I smiled as she picked up the necklace and placed it around my neck, and then handed me a small, hand-held mirror so I could see myself. Oh, how I wished I could have something as extravagant as this! With a heavy heart, I unlatched the chain and gently laid it back in its case. "I bet you two would be good friends, you and that boy. You both have excellent tastes in fine jewelry. I laughed out loud and perished the thought. I didn't even know who he was!

Suki and I thanked the woman and left. A sigh of relief escaped my lips for I had survived shopping with Suki. Hell, I'm surprised I even got through the first _shop._ But anyways, it was totally night now, and the festival was bound to be starting at any minute. I was finally able to see my complete outfit when Suki and some of the other Kyoshi Warriors—who showed up from out of nowhere—finished doing my hair and make-up.

As I stared at my reflection, it donned on me. The girl gazing back at me wasn't me. She was a stranger whose body I had somehow managed to possess. With her hair tucked neatly into a bun with her bangs partially covering her face. With her dark kimono complimenting every curve of her lean body. With her face covered in girly make-up. And lastly, with the bright green irises peeking from behind a few black strands of hair.

No, it was not me. This was someone else. This girl couldn't possibly be me because she was beautiful. Extremely beautiful. Those were words that described the royals and nobles, and not a stupid girl from a foreign world.

_Ah! Stop that, Kaida! This is no time to be feeling sorry for yourself! You have work to do! _After slapping myself—both physically and mentally—I made last second fixes and headed out of the house the Kyoshi Warriors were renting and made my way through the crowded streets in search of my friends—plus one.

_Damn, I hope this works._

* * *

><p><strong><em>AN: Don't worry, I am alive! Sorry for the delay, the 3rd and 4th chapters are waaaayy overdue, but _**_some **people in this world just **have **to give their students a ridiculous amount of USELESS projects to do. -_- ANYWAYS. Not to bore you with my sad, sad life, I WILL be writing Kaida's ENTIRE story at some point and...BONUS TIMEZ! I'm going to conjure up a Teen Titan fanfic later this week, so be watching for that. So...yep, that's about it. **_

_**Love ya,**_

_**~*Daisy*~**_


	5. Of Old Hags and Freaky Fantasies

**(Kaida)**

Lights Rhythmic lights stung my eyes as I melted in with the huge crowd. Torches were lined up along the paths and the mothers had to pull their children away to keep them from knocking them over.

One of the first things I noticed when this festival started was that almost everyone was wearing masks. How was I supposed to find my friends if I didn't know who they were? Still I pushed my way through the horde of people, randomly calling out for my companions.

"Hey! Girl! Yes, you there! Come over here and I will show you a mysterious magic trick," came a deep, husky voice behind me. I spun around and was with an old hag. She waved me over with a long, bony hand. My head swiveled side to side, wondering if it was, in fact, me she was beckoning to. The old hag nodded at me in conformation.

The woman's thin lips pulled up into a tight smile as she gestured for me to sit down on one of the pillows in front of her. I did so hesitantly. "Hello, dear. Do not be alarmed for I mean you no harm. It is only my intention to seek intervention. My magic brings truth but is also very tragic." Kaida scoffed. _What a phony. I've seen people like this at the fairs in Wisconsin. She's probably just a con-artist or something. _

The hag bore an amused expression. "Fake, am I? DO you know what happens to those with blind eyes? Of course you don't and with that attitude, you won't. You see, my dear, I've been a witch many a year. And if anything I know is true, then I suggest you learn it too."

"Why do you do that?"

"I assume you mean rhyme? Little child, sit down, take some time. If you wish to know of a life I have lived, then you must have something, for me, to give." I was growing tired of this old woman's games, but I drew a few coins from my pouch and handed them to the woman. The hag smiled with delight and thanked me for my kindness.

"Paid is your fee and now you wish to learn of me. The magic was given to me at the wee age of four when an ancient witch came knocking at my door. She said with a grin, 'I have something for you, youngin'. As I guessed who she was, noticed not I, that a big swirl of black had in a buzz. I was blinded and frightened as the black swirl tightened. It tightened itself over my frame and entered into my soul's domain. It filled in there, every bone and muscle was not a nary bit bare. The blackness swallowed me and made me anew and when I awoke I had only a clue that I was a witch, that I knew." I had barely noticed that as the elderly woman was sharing her story, her eyes clouded over and turned the color of coal. She was trembling slightly.

"That was a nice story, but what about this magic trick you mentioned?" The tent was filled with the woman's hearty laugh. I shifty uncomfortably and debated whether I should leave or not. This lady was definitely creepy, but she told interesting stories, I'll give her that. I was pulled out of my reverie when the woman coughed.

"Ah, yes, I'm glad that you decided to ask. However, before we begin I have one simple task. Stick out your hands and close your eyes, for you I have a big surprise. But if we are to succeed you must find it in yourself to believe." I did as the woman asked and stuck out my hands. With a few pestering reminders, I reluctantly allowed my eyelids to close. "Good, good. Now listen to my voice, and hear nothing else. It's about time you search within yourself." As soon as the woman's hands touched mine a flash of white light erupted from behind my eyes and a shiver was sent up my spine.

I couldn't tell where I was. I wasn't in that tent, that's for sure. Suddenly, something green and hard flew across my nose. I shrieked and swung my arms around like a crazy person trying to get it off. I plucked whatever it was up and held it out to examine it. A leaf. I dropped it and finally took a gander at my surroundings. I was sitting on some grass. There was a small lake nearby, and little turtle ducks were quacking and swimming around merrily. Some stone benches were placed here and there and flowerbeds strewn across the land.

At last I recognized where I was. The Fire Lord's palace. At Zuko's turtle duck pond. I couldn't believe this was happening. _That stupid witch tricked me and now I'm gonna die if someone sees me! _

"_Calm your mind, child. Watch for just a little while_," the witch's voice said within my mind. I didn't want to, but my curiosity won—as usual. I sat quietly and tried to find what it was I'm supposed to be watching. Then I saw it—or him. A man, about seventeen, was strolling down the corridor. He was handsome from what I could see and he held a book in his hand and an apple in the other. He continued down the stoned path until he reached the edge of the pond. There, he set down his book and apple onto the grass and tugged off his typical Fire Nation boots. Then, he dipped his feet into the cool, clear water and released a sigh. With that the man opened his book, bit into the apple, and began reading, taking no notice of my presence a few feet beside him.

"Um…excuse me, sir. What's your name?" I prompted cautiously. A tug at her mind made her stop.

"_Shh. Your voice is not heard, so merely listen…and observe." _I shut my mouth and continued to pretend like I knew what was going on. A few seconds of hearing the rhythmic 'crunch' of the man eating the apple, two other men appeared. One of them was speaking in an urgent tone.

"I told you, _your Majesty_, the whole army was obliterated. Everyone there is either dead or taken captive. We must act now before this gets out of hand!" The one that was talking had a muscular build. His blue eyes sparkled with determination as he strode alongside his friend. Speaking of which, was extremely handsome. He was tall and pale. The revealed muscles in his bare arms glistened with sweat. In some ways, he resembled the young man sitting at the pond.

The two men arrived behind the first. There were near enough to see something that I absolutely had not expected.

A faint red scar outlined the pale man's face. Exactly where Zuko's was.

What the hell is going on?

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><p><strong><em>AN:_****_ Spirits! I hate this chapter! It makes me feel...icky. This was originally going to be posted yesterday (my birthday!) but ya know...with it being Halloween and all...but I stille really dislike this chappy because it seems rushed and cliche and stuff. AND before you roast me for posting this, there is a reason for this lame excuse for good writing. ALL WILL BE REVEALED!...at some point. KTHXBAI!_**

**_Love ya!_**

**_~*Daisy*~_**


	6. Say What?

**A/N: I just realized that I haven't been doing a disclaimer. Whoops! XD**

** Disclaimer: I do NOT own A:TLA or any characters (other than Kaida).**

**So, with that outta the way...ENJOY! :D**

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><p><strong>(<strong>**Zuko)**

I looked around for Kaida, but she was nowhere to be found. She is probably avoiding me, as usual. I would try to look for her in the game tents, but with Kaila attached to me it was hard to do anything, let alone breathe. I had to get away from this girl, somehow…

I, subtly, tried to slip from her grasp but she was a strong one. After many more unsuccessful attempts to get her to talk to Katara or play games, I sighed in defeat. "What's wrong, Zukie? You seem so…distant," Kaila observed. I gave her a weak smile to let her know nothing was wrong. Thankfully, she only smiled and continued to drag me around the festival.

Kaila led me to where the others were gathered around a table. "Oh, hey Kaila. I see you've been showing Zuko what it's like to be _social_," Katara teased, sticking her tongue out at me. I glared at her which was wasted as she had already turned back around. Kaila giggled and plopped down in a chair next to Katara. I rubbed my arm where her iron grip had been.

I was finally free to find Kaida. Taking a quick look around, I noticed that Jet was missing. Probably stalking Kaida, the creep. She…doesn't _really _like him, does she?

**(Kaida)**

Who was this man? I mean, he looked just like Zuko, but older. "I don't believe that sh-that everyone there was killed. They were a good army, one of the best. For them to have all been slaughtered…impossible!" the Zuko-look alike argued. The blue-eyed man sighed and sped up. He cut off the man who resembled Zuko and placed his hands on his shoulders.

"I know it's hard to believe, but you've got to trust me! Suki was there, she saw everything! All of the soldiers are dead!" the blue-eyed man countered. Something her said caught my attention. SUKI! Who were these people?

"No, Sokka! I refuse to accept that! We have the best Commander in the world. She wouldn't have let all those people down," the golden-eyed man said. The younger man who had been sitting by the pond tossed his apple aside and jogged over to the other two.

"What is it now, Zaiko? Can't you see Sokka and I are trying to have a conversation."

"I know, Dad, but I was wondering…when is Mom going to come home? She's been gone for a while," Zaiko asked, closing his book and tucking it under his arm.

"Zuko, he needs to know," 'Sokka' told 'Zuko'. 'Zuko' sighed and nodded his permission.

"Prince Zaiko, you're mother, she…she is…uh… Fire Lady Kaida is no longer with us."

Whoa, whoa, whoa. _Fire Lady Kaida_? What is this place? _Old woman? I know you're listening! Where am I? Get me outta here!_

A forceful gust of wind swirled around me, suffocating me. I desperately tried to suck in some air, but that wasn't happening. My eyes started to water. Suddenly, I was back at the old hag's tent. She was simply staring at me with knowing eyes. As if she had known what was going to happen the entire time. I glowered at her as I got to my feet. "What the hell was that? Where did you take me? Who were those people? Why did they call _me_ the _Fire Lady_?" The old woman smirked, showing her one tooth.

"All your questions will be answered very soon. But 'til then you should make your way back to your friends. This festival is quite the boon!" And with that, I was shoved from the tent with no answers to any of my questions. I' starting to think this was a bad idea. The scene kept replaying in my head, causing an involuntary shiver to creep up my spine every time. Maybe if I find the others I will just forget all about that place and the psychopathic woman and her rhyming.

As soon as I turned a corner, I bumped into something…or someone. I looked up to see what—or who—it was while rubbing my aching head. "Watch it!" the person hissed. Of course it would be Zuko. When he realized who it was that ran into him his face softened. "Oh, it's you."

I scoffed. Such a cheerful guy, he is. "Don't kill yourself with all that happiness there, Sparky!" I chuckled. He rolled his eyes and I pushed past him to find out companions. Zuko grabbed my arm, preventing me from walking away. I spun on my heels to face him. "What do you want?"

"Look, I need to talk to you. It's important."

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><p><strong>AN: Cliff hanger! I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for not updating sooner! I have been so incredibly busy and I didn't have a lick-spittle (haha I like that word) of time to write ANYTHING! I PROMISE that I will try to update more frequently. Again, I truly am sorry for the long wait.**

**Love ya,**

**~*Daisy*~ **


	7. Make Out Session

**A/N: I am such a horrible person! I can't believe I haven't updated since like November! Ugh! Well, to make up for that, I will be doing regular updates from now on. I promise. And even though I probably don't deserve them, reviews will be much appreciated. And tell me what you think of me doing a Legend of Korra story. Anyways...**

**I don't own ATLA, (enter snarky comment here).**

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><p><strong>(Kaida)<strong>

Zuko led me behind some tall crates so that we could talk in private. His golden eyes scanned the area, making sure that we were isolated from the rest of the festival. Upon seeing that no one was going to walk up and bother us, he turned back to me.

For once, his signature scowl wasn't plastered onto his face. Instead, he looked…concerned. I pushed that thought from my mind. Since when was Zuko ever concerned?

"Well? Are you going to tell me whatever it is that is _so_ important what you had to drag me off into a smelly alley?" I probed, secretly wondering what it would be like to kiss the prince. I mean, how pathetic was I?

Zuko stared at me for a second. I waited for him to talk. He sighed and ran a hand through his shaggy black hair. "Fine. You win," he grunted, not looking at me.

"I…win? What are you talking about? I haven't won anything?" Zuko looked annoyed and frowned.

"This stupid game your playing! You win! I can't take it anymore!" Zuko growled.

"Wha-" I was cut off by Zuko closing the distance between us and crashing his lips onto mine. I was genuinely shocked for a good two seconds before it finally donned on me that…Zuko was kissing me. We were_ actually_ kissing.

He pulled away quickly before I had anytime to process any actions. I furled my eyebrows and craned my neck to look up at him. He had a slight blush on his cheeks.

"Kaida-"

I shook my head. "Shut up." Before I knew what I was doing, I lunged at Zuko, catching him up in another kiss. I had to stand on my tiptoes to reach him. He hesitated at first, but then gently secured his pale hands in my hair. I wrapped my arms around his neck, causing our bodies to move closer to each other.

I couldn't believe this was happening. I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. Here I was, totally making out with Zuko, and all I could think about was stupid Kaila and her stupid tattoo and was this wrong?

I pulled away and glance up at Zuko. His hair was sticking out in many directions, making me want to giggle. He was so cute that it actually hurt.

"Zuko, what are we doing?" He looked confused and opened his mouth to answer, but I beat him to it. "I mean, what are we_ really_ doing? Do you even_ like_ me?"

"Of course I do."

"How much?" Zuko was taken aback. He quickly recovered and took a step closer to me. He grabbed both of my hands in his and looked into my eyes.

"Well, I-I…think I love you, Kaida," Zuko finally whispered. It was my turn to be surprised.

"You _think_ you love me?"

"I do. I _do_ love you."

"So, when did that feeling occur?" Zuko frowned.

"I don't know. Does it matter? I love you and I'm pretty sure you love me too."

"Really? And where did you get that idea from?"

"Come on, Kaida. I'm not stupid. You can't expect me not to notice that you ran off with Jet as soon as I turned you down."

"That…was pure coincidence."

"Why can't you just admit it? Admit that in that crazy head of yours, you have feelings for me," Zuko said, becoming irritated. I loved pushing his buttons.

"Alright, fine, I admit it. I really,_ really_ like you. Maybe even love you a tiny bit. There. Happy?" I quipped as I squeezed his hands. And get this. Zuko actually_ smiled_. It was small, but still there, plain as day. A teeny smile. I couldn't help but return it.

Zuko leaned down for another kiss, and I happily obliged. This day just couldn't get any better.

That is, until one of the crates had toppled over next to me.

"What are you doing?" a voice questioned darkly.

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><p><strong>So...how'd you like it? I don't think I did too terrible for someone who hasn't written anything for 8 months. Another chapter will be up either tomorrow or Monday. Hopefully I woun't be too busy tomorrow after my mom's sonogram. ALMOST BABY TIME! :D<strong>


	8. Past Nightmares

**A/N: ****Sorry this is a little late. I have had a busy, busy, busy week. So, my baby brother is doing great, but my mom was put on bed rest, just to be safe. Then, my dad planned a whole day of working out for me and my family. Yeah...**

**I don't own ATLA. **

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><p><strong>(Kaida)<strong>

Zuko and I spun around quickly. A female figure stood in the shadows with her hands on her hips in a motherly fashion. I instantly recognized who it was even before she stepped into the light where we could see her.

"What do you think you two are doing?" Katara repeated, tapping her foot impatiently as she waited for our answer. I looked up at Zuko for some help. He shrugged.

"Uh…we were just…you know, the festival is just so loud and…what I'm trying to say is…" I stammered, trying desperately to find some kind of excuse that Katara would buy. Her eyes held suspicion. Hopefully, she hadn't been standing there the whole time. "Look, we were just talking." It was stupid and I knew it. Of course she wouldn't believe we were just '_talking_'.

Katara's eyes narrowed, but she didn't push the subject. I held back a sigh of relief. "Kaila is looking for you Zuko. She's waiting with Aang and Toph by the face paint tent," Katara informed the prince. Zuko cast me a glance before gently pushing past Katara and disappearing into the crowded streets. I watched him leave, missing his warmth and the way he held me. I had it so bad.

I was pulled out of my reverie when I noticed Katara glaring at me. I mean, we didn't get a long most of the time, but that was no reason to give me the stink eye. I suddenly felt self-conscious as the thought that Katara had_ actually_ seen Zuko and me kissing. "Uh…I'm gonna head back to the festival," I said, stepped toward the opening of the alley. I felt a tugging at the back of my kimono. Katara was holding me back. She pulled me back to face her, blue eyes untrusting.

"What are you playing at?" she questioned, not releasing her hold on my kimono. I shot her a confused look, but she didn't back off.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. This night was just getting weirder and weirder. Katara leaned closer to me.

"You know what I mean. You're dating Jet and then I saw you and Zuko making out just a few seconds ago! Who's next? Sokka? Aang? Kaila warned me about you. I just hoped that you weren't as heartless as she said," Katara spat. My eyebrows furled together quickly. Kaila? What did she know about me? The girl had only been with us for a week. Now, she was trying to turn my friends against me? "I thought you cared about us, but maybe I was wrong."

I couldn't help that something was off with Katara. She seemed more…aggressive than usual. Her grip on me tightened considerably and her nails dug into my skin. There was almost a feral glint in her ocean-colored eyes. "W-what do you mean? I-I'm not-"

"Cut the act, Kaida. We all know what you're doing now. You can't hide behind that sweet face anymore. Kaila warned us about you," Katara growled at me. Suddenly, I was sent soaring through the air. I felt the wind rush past my ears until my back hit the cold bricks of the building behind me.

Katara was walking toward me. I frantically looked around for something, anything. _There_! A puddle of water sat on the opposite side of the alley. I threw my hands out, calling the water to my finger tips. It swirled around my hand and I pushed it at Katara. And it hit…nothing.

No one was there. No Katara. Nobody. Only the several crates that sat unmoving at the side. I blinked and rubbed my eyes. When I opened them, I saw that it was, in fact, only me in the cold, damp alleyway. Katara had just been there, coming right at me. Then, she was gone. Just like that. Vanished into thin air.

That was so weird. I struggled to my feet, using the wall to support me. My body was shaking and I couldn't get a grip on myself. What had just happened? Had Katara really attacked me? Even though we didn't exactly see eye to eye, that had crossed the line. And what was this about Kaila warning all of them? Who else 'knew'? Were they going to turn into psychopathic maniacs too? I had to tell someone.

As I stumbled out of the alley, I was swept up by the crowd of people. I tried to see past the hundreds of heads to find Zuko, but that was nearly impossible. So many people. I couldn't even see my own body. It was that packed in. "Z-Zuko! Zuko!" I shouted. Of course he couldn't hear me. I couldn't even hear me.

I was being carried into the center of the town on the human river. Claustrophobia was beginning to creep over me. I needed to get out of here. Just as I began pushing my way out, two strong pairs of hands grabbed my arms and restrained me. I looked up to see that we had stopped in front of a large stage. I struggled against my captors, trying to break free.

"Well, well. What have we got here?" a voice said. I froze. I'd know that voice anywhere. It haunted my nightmares.

A man stepped down from the stage. I watched his shiny black shoes walk down each step and stop right in front of me. Two fingers placed themselves under my chin and forced me to look up. There stood, the monster that plagued me since before I could remember, my former best friend. Wei Shu.

"Where are you going, Kaida? The party's just beginning," he drawled, his dark eyes boring into mine. I tore my face away from his hand and kicked at his shins. "Haha! Certainly still the little feisty girl I remember. Come now, Kaida. You wouldn't want to hurt your best friend, now, would you?"

"Go to hell!" I shouted, spitting at Wei's shoes. He quickly hopped backward, evading my saliva stream. He glared at me in disgust.

"Tsk. Tsk. I thought you would have a least matured and gained manners these past years," Wei snickered. I leaned back, using the brutes' that were holding me, and kicked my leg up at his rat face. With quick, uncanny reflexes I had never seen before, Wei grabbed my leg forcefully and held it in one of his hands. "Kaida-"

"Don't 'Kaida' me! You left me to die, Wei! You left me and didn't even look back! I trusted you and you betrayed me! What are you even doing here?" I snarled, yanking my foot away from his grasp. Wei smirked that devilish smirk of his. I know it was so not the right time or place, but I couldn't help but notice that his was much different than Zuko's. Zuko's was childish and cute. Wei's was…dark and sinister. It made a chill run down my spine.

"Why am I here? I am here to have fun! The same thing these people are here to do, are they not? And plus, I came to see how my favorite friend was doing these days. It's been so long, Kaida. So _very_ long." Wei's face grew dark. He motioned to one of his cronies, who brought him a drink. With a wink to me, he raised his glass and drank it. The black tunic shifted down enough for me to see his neck.

And the distinct tattoo that covered it.

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><p><strong>Review please? :) I finally figured out how I want this story to go. And yes, there will be more romance fluff in the future. The next chapter won't be out until next sometime next week. Maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. I'll try to be on time. :) <strong>


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